Load-transfer cable equipment



Sept. 2, 19.58 D. J. PHILIBERT 2,850,316

LOAD-TRANSFER CABLE EQUIPIVIENT` Filed Maron 27. 1955 United StatesPatent ce 2,850,316 @talented Sept. 2, 1958 2,850,316 LOAD-'IRANSFERCABLE EQUIPMENT Dollard J. Philibert, Meriden, Conn. Application March27, 1953, Serial No. 344,984 15 Claims. (Cl. 294-74) This inventionrelates to load-transfer cable equipment; and it relates moreparticularly to equipment of this kind characterized by the employmentof a load loop or cargo loop that is non-collapsible by reason of itsincluding bracing means, most desirably a spreader device which isitself also of novel type, acting to maintain said loop at all timesopen a minimum distance or width even under maximum load conditions. Theinvention is of especially great utility in connection with apparatusfor the loading and unloading of ships and other cargo or freightcarriers, for example.

In transferring heavy objects or loads of material from one location toanother through a relatively short distance, as for example intransferring cargo from dock to ship or from ship to dock, it is commonto make use of a crane or derrick of some description which, in whateverspecic form it may take, includ-es hoisting tackle carried by aswingable arm or boom. Such tackle includes a stranded steel wire ropeor cable reeved through a pulley block secured to the boom and havingone end made fast to the winding drum or barrel of a poweroperatedwinch, While the other end portion is formed to provide an eye or loop,which may be on the order of 2 or 3 feet in length under no-loadcon-ditions, by splicing or otherwise securing the cable end to thecable at a point thereon far enough back from said end to give a loop ofthe desired length. To the opposite or rounded free extremity of theloop thus formed is secured by appropriate fastening means of some kind,such as a shackle, a load or cargo hook which releasably engages, orfrom which is releasably suspended, the load to be hoisted andtransferred. A

Crane or derrick `equipment of this general type is widely used instevedoring operations, for example, where it isrsubjected to extremelyrough usage. Although the load required to be handled at one time insuch service does not ordinarily exceed about 5 tons dead weight,

standard safety regulations require that the wire cable employe-d shalltest at least 20 tons breaking strength. This is because, due to suddenstarting or stopping of the winch, often through careless operation, orto any of various other causes, the strain -which the cable is actuallycalled upon frequently to withstand momentarily under such severeservice conditions often greatly exceeds 5 tons. A 'Xs-inch diameterhoisting cable of twisted steel wire strands is commonly employed insuch equipment.

Despite the considerable stiffness and resiliency of such a cable,whereby it strongly resists being bent at a sharp angle, the cable isflexible enough to permit its being readily bent on a reasonablylong-radius curve, as in forming the end of such above describedterminal loop. Under heavy load, the cable loop naturally elon! gatesand narrows more or less. Upon release of the load, the loop normallytends, because of the rather sti resiliency of the cable, to spring backimmediately, undamaged, into its original more rounded or widely openform and shorter length. However, if through careless operation of thepower winch, for example, the cable is given a quick jerk in lifting orarresting descent of a heavy load engaged by the cargo hook, theresultant large force suddenly concentrated upon the cable, actingtransversely thereof within the relatively small surface area thereofcontacted by the shackle at the lower extremity of the loop, may causethe cable to be bent so sharply at this locality as to narrow orcollapse the loop considerably or, in extreme but by no means uncommoncases, to close it virtually completely. Where such virtually completeclosure or collapse occurs, the result is not uncommonly suchacute-angle permanent deformation of the loop at its lower end as torequire forcibly wedging apart the thus frozen loop sides or branches,in order to open the loop suiciently to free the shackle. This isbecause, at the vertex of such angular deformation, the cable strandshave been stressed by the sharpness of the bending or ilexure beyondtheir elastic limit and have taken a permanent set. Wedging the loopsides apart and thereby partially reversing this acute bend in the cablenecessarily results in serious strand weakening and more or less strandbreakage at the bend, an effect externally evidenced by fraying of thecable surface at this locality. Considerations of safety require thatthe entire loop thereupon be cut off, and a new loop spliced in thecable as before described.

But even where a sudden jerk or quick pick-up of the load is not heavyenough to close the loop but only to narrow (and elongate) it to alesser degree not resulting in too sharply bending the cable at thecurved lower extremity of the loop, the severe conditions under whichthe equipment is normally required to operate in actual servicenecessarily involves constant recurrence, over and over again of (l)narrowing or partial collapse of the loop under applied load,alternating with (2) rebound or spring-back of the loop into the moreopen or rounded form in which the inherent springlike character of thesteel cable tends, so long as the cable does not become permanently bentat the loop vertex by local over-stressing at this point, constantly tomaintain the loop open. Consequently, when such a cargo loop' is in use,there is always occurring at its shackle-engaged extremity aback-andforth bending movement of the cable strands in greater or lessdegree, due to the alternating load pick-up and load release. This cycleof alternating transverse bending stresses occurs a very large number oftimes in one ordinary days operation of such equipment. It is alsoaccompanied, naturally, by considerable friction between the twistedwire strands. All this eventually results in metal fatigue, wear andmore or less breakage, externally manifested by surface fraying at theaifected locality. Under the severely rough service conditionsencountered in stevedoring operations, this effect is often produced ina surprisingly short time. Here again, even though such complete loopcollapse as to freeze the loop branches together may at no time haveoccurred, the appearance of fraying is the signal rendering it mandatoryto cut oir" of the cargo loop and splice a new one.

While the strand-deteriorating effect produced at the lower end of theloop by the cyclical back-and-forth or inandout movement of the loopbranches has been more particularly stressed hereinabove, it should benoted that this effect may be produced also at the upper or spliced endof the loop, although generally in much less noticeable degree.

Not only does the necessity for relatively frequent replacement of adamaged cargo loop entail loss of time and consequent expense by reasonof the interruptions in equipment operation thereby necessitated, but aneven more important consideration is that, for any given hoisting cable,the number -of times it is possible to cut olf a defective or unsafeloop and to re-loop a further portion of the cable by splicing asdescribed, is small. After only a few such loop replacements, the cable,although it may still be perfectly sound, has become useless for furtherservice in such equipment and must be discarded. This is because itslength has reached the minimum at ment involved. Such cables, beingYfabricated of high grade steel wire,;are costly. Their relatively shortservice life in such equipment gives rise, therefore, tol a frequentlyrecurring expense item of substantial magnitude.

The lengthlimitation just referred to arises from the fact Ythat thepressure exerted upon a layer of cable turns on'the winding drum of thewinch by succeeding layers wound thereonurider heavy load tension is soVgreat that it is not practical to have the cable sufficiently long atthe Vstart t-o provide more Vthan a relatively very small reserve fon'the winding drum. It a greater reserve Vwere provided, thus materiallyprolonging the time beforek progressive shortening of the cable by loopreplacements would require paying out and re-windingV the lowermo'stlayer or layers of the reserve cablewturns, these turns would havebecome so set or fixed in curvature by theaforesaid pressure ofsuperimposed layers that serious lrinkingtof the cable would result fromany attempt to pay them out and re-wind them, as part oi"V the necessaryworking length of the cable. For this kmovement of the loop sides orbranches toward each Y other, insuicient to cause excessive bending orYiexure of t Y the cable under load, is permitted. Y

While the invention may be embodied in various specie forms, oneespecially desirable practical embodiment thereof isV shown, by way yofillustrative example, in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. lshowsfthe hovelcable loop construction in side elevation, with attachedcargo or load hook, the parts being in no-load position; 1 Y

' Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged sections Ion the lines 2-2 and3'-?a,'rrespectivre'ly, of Fig. l;V .t Fig.' 4 is a section, partly inelevation, on the hne Y of Fig..V 3, but with the parts in the positionasreason, hoisting'cables of the type here in question are supplied bythe'manufacturers in standard lengths varying, of course, with theparticular equipment set-up in which they are designed to be used, thecable in any given Vinstance being of a length not much exceeding theworking length required for the particular set-up aforesaid.V VAnover-all length on the order of 175 feet or thereaoouts for a new cableas supplied by the manufacturer represents common practicein'stevedoring work. Another difliculty incidental to use of cargo loopsheretofore available has'been the severity and sharpnessV of the shocksto'which the cable as a whole is sub- Y jected, and lwhich aretransmitted by the cable -to fthe Y' blocks'on the derrick as well-as tothe power winch and -V other equipment parts, du'e to sudden pick-upofheavy loads andthe resultant quiclV narrowing or collapsing (partialor complete) of the loop to its Vnal load position. VThis 'is very hardon the equipment as a-whole, necessitating frequent shutdown for repairsand `causing rapid deterioration.

- An important object of the present VVA further object of the inventionis, lby thus prolongiiig the, service life of such a cable loop, to,render replacement; of the cable as a whole less frequently neces`sary. l t i Y Still another object of the invention is to'enablelessening V.the intensity or sharpness of stress shocks impartedV Y tothe cable and the equipment with which it is associated by the suddenpick-up of heavy loads attached Yto Y ythe cable loop, therebymaterially cutting down over-all wear and tear.V t

More specifically, it is any object of the invention to Y provide Yanovelrtype of cable loop construction whereby invention is, theretore,to prolong substantially the service life of a cable Yloopofrthe generaltype hereinabove referred to, particularly kof cargo loops such as thosewidely used in Ystevedoring operations. Y Y

sumed under load suiciently great to narrow the cable loopto the minimumwidth permitted by the stilening Y or bracing means; n

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in side-elevation, looking in the directionof arrow Y5 in Fig. `4; and

t Pig. 6 is another fragmentary view in side elevation, lookingih thedirection of arrow 6 in Fig. 1.

Referring to 'the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. `l thereof, 10designates generally a loop on a ilexibleY hoisting cable 12, which inthis instance is formed of twisted-steel wire strands. The Vloop 10 isusually formed of a length of the flexible cable itself bentinto loopform and having its end suitably secured tothe cable, iii'this instanceby splicing as indicated at 13. A

secured inthe usual mannerto the lower extremity of Y th'ec'able loopfor free swinging movement with respect thereto by suitable fasteningmeans such as a shackle of well-known type indicated generally at S(Figs. l and not occur, and that said movement takes Vplace. lessVabruptly .than with cable loop .constructions heretofore known. Y

' In acoordancewith the-principles of the invention, the foregoingobjectsrand attendant'advantages, as well fas others which will becomeapparent hereinafter, are 'at-V cable loop of the characterV de-f eribedwith stitening or bracing means, Vmost desirably Vin the formof acompressible spreader device, extending transversely of the loop andengaging the cable at the Y 'opposite sides or branches 4of the loop;the arrangement Y being such that complete closure orcollapse ofthe looptained t byY providing a under Vload tension is positively prevented,Vwhile limited 6). TheV cable Vloop is rendered ynon-collapsible underloadtension by'bra'cing or stiffenihg means, indicated generally at 14,extending within the vloop crosswise thereof and terminally secured tothe cable at opposite sides of saidloop at an intermediate location inits length.

Said' bracing or stiffening means functions to maintain the loop armsYor branchesrpositively spaced or spread apart at least a predeterminedminimum distance at the t location where it is placed in the loop,regardless of the the loop and the cable as a whole load tension towhich may be subjected;v

Y Y As hereinabove indicated, the bracing means or spreader device 14 ismost desirably compressibleto a limitedextent between the loop arms orsides by the inwardly directe'd thrust they exert upon itV whenjthe loopis subt jected to heavy load tension, thereby-tending to narrow or evencollapse the loop. As here shown, therefore, and referringmoreparticula'rlyto Figs. 2 and 3, Vsaid means 14Vcomprises twotelescopin'g Vmembers 18 and 2.0,V member 18 having a tubular portionopenr at one end 22, while the cooperating member Ztlhas a portionformed as Va plunger iitting and axially Vslidable within the tubularportion of member 18. Within the ,tubular portion of member 18,7acompression-type coiled spring'30 of Suitablypheavy gauge steel 'wire isVconinedrbetween the bottom 24 of'said tubular portion and the annularshoul- Vder 28 on plunger 20, Awhose forwardly projectingY reducedportion 21v serves, in yconjunction with theadjacent wall of member18,-to prvide an annularrecess'26.

In order to limit positively theextent to which theV spreader deviceisfcompressible by inward pressurey or thrust of theY cable loop sidesVagainst its ends, as well as to prevent separation of the telescopingmembers 18 and 29. by the action of., the spring upon cessationbf Ysuchthrust, the

` plunger Y20 is in this instance provided Vwit-h alongitudinally'extending'diametral slot 32, through which and alsothrough aligned apertures in member 18 adjacent the openV end 22Vthereof extendsa cross-pin 34, whose ends are peened or headed over,'asVshowntin Fig. 3, to

prevent its being accidentally dislodged: v In the fully t expandedconditionV infrwhich members VV`18 and 20 @are shown in Figs. 1-3, thespring 30 is already somewhat compressed. In this condition, engagementof cross-pin 34 with member 20 at the left-hand end of slot 32positively prevents further expansion of spreader 14 and hence, also,any further widening of the cable loop. On the other hand, in the fullycompressed condition shown in Fig. 4, further contraction or shorteningof the spreader, with further narrowing of the cable loop is positivelyprevented primarily by abutment of the annular end 70 of member 18 withthe annular shoulder 72 provided on member 20, also by reason of thefact that cross-pin 34 yis now at or near the opposite end of slot 32.Shoulder 72 and a cross-pin 34 in slot 32, therefore, comprise stopmeans for positively preventing compression of the spreader devicebeyond a predetermined limit.

Referring now to further desirable structural features of spreaderdevice 14, the telescoping members 18 and 20 are provided at their outerends with outwardly projecting shanks 36 and 38, respectively, which areadapted to bear against the opposite sides 16 of the cable loop 10. Inorder to atord maximum seating area for the loop sides 16, the ends ofthe shanks 36 and 38 may be concavely rounded or grooved as indicated at37 (Figs. 2 and 3). The members 18 and 20 are further provided withshoulders 40 and 42, respectively, against which bear the internalshoulders 44 of knurled coupling nuts or sleeves 46 and 43,respectively. There are further provided two identical clamping plugs oryoke-pieces 50 and 52, each of which is externally threaded at 54 forreleasable connection with the adjacent nuts 46 and 48. Each of theplugs 50 and 52 is provided in one end thereof with round-bottomed openrecess or groove 56 of a width sutiicient to accommodate the cable andof a depth considerably greater than the cable diameter. The rounding ofthe bottom of the groove 56, as at 58, is in order to afford maximumseating area for the cable forming the loop.

In applying the brace, strut or spreader device 14 to the cable loop,the plugs 50 and 52 are removed from the nuts 46 and 48 and the deviceis placed between the loop with the ends of the outwardly projectingshanks 36 and 38 of the members 18 and 20 bearing against therespectively adjacent inner faces of the arms 16 of the cable loop. Theplugs 50 and 52 are thereupon positioned with their grooves 56 over theloop arms and then connected with the adjacent nuts 46 and 48 byturningV the latter. By tightening the nuts 46 and 48, the roundedgroove bottoms 58 in the plugs 56 and 52 and the complementarily groovedends 37 of the shanks 36 and 3S of the members 18 and 20 are drawn intofirm clamping engagement with the cable at opposite locations on theloop arms, as shown. The spreader 14 is now rmly anchored to the loop ata location intermediate its upper and lower extremities. sharp bendingof the cable is greatest at the lower extremity where the loop isengaged by the shackle, spreader 14 should ordinarily be located, asshown in Fig. l, somewhat closer to the lower extremity 62 of the loopthan to the upper.

The yielding contractibility of the spreader device 14 is an importantfactor in prolonging the useful life of the cable loop. By reason ofthis characteristic, the device acts as a very efficient shock absorberwhich functions to especial advantage when a load is picked up suddenly.Thus, a considerable part of the initial shock of a sudden load pick-upis taken up and absorbed by the spreader device instead of being almostinstantly transmitted with full intensity to the cable loop, the cableas a whole, and the associated operating equipment. In this connection,the limit imposed upon the yielding contractibility of the device 14 isof'further advantage, in that the latter will' under no circumstancespermit flexure at the curved extremity 62 of the cable loop much beyondthat indicated in Fig. 4, even if a heavy load on Because the danger oftoo a sudden or jerky pick-up should quickly contract the spreader toits minimum length.

By appropriately varying the design of the spreader device in respect totype and characteristics of its shockcushioning member (specificallyspring 30) employed and/or other constructional details, in a mannerobvious in view of the present disclosure, the degree of resistanceoffered by said device to inward thrust of the loop arms, as well asvthe range within which variations in loop width are positivelyconfined, can be predetermined as may be necessary to meet therequirements of any particular situation involving equipment of thegeneral character here in question. For the usual -run of stevedoringwork, it is good practice to so construct said spreader device that aninward or horizontal thrust against its ends amounting to at least about500 pounds must be exerted by the loop sides or branches in order tocompress or contract the loop to minimum predetermined length asillustrated in Fig. 4.

The ease with which, through provision of the releasable cable clamps,the position of the spreader or bracing means on the loop may be quicklyshifted so as to afford maximum protection against dangerously sharpflexure of the cable in a given equipment set-up or under givenoperating conditions, is a valuable feature of the novel load or cargoloop construction.

The invention may be carried out in specic ways other than those hereinset forth without departing from the spirit and essentialcharacteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are,therefore, to be considered as being only illustrative and notrestrictive, it being intended that all changes coming within themeaning and equivalency range of the appended claims shall be embracedtherein.

What is claimed is:

1. Load-transfer cable equipment, comprising, in combination, a exibleand resilient stranded wire cable having an end portion formed into aload loop which has a curved extremity that is adapted for attachment ofa load thereto, together with loop-bracing means extending across saidloop intermediate its extremities and terminally secured to its oppositesides; said `bracing means having shock-absorbing means compressible-under inward thrust of the cable at the loop sides to yieldingly resistnarrowing of the loop under load tension, said bracing means beingprovided with stop means for positively arresting such narrowing of theloop beyond a predetermined limit to prevent unduly sharp bending of thecable at said curved extremity.

2. Load-transfer cable equipment comprising, in combination, a flexibleand resilient stranded wire cable having an end portion formed into aload loop which has a curved extremity that is adapted for attachment ofa load thereto, together with loop-bracing means extending across saidloop intermediate its extremities and terminally secured to its oppositesides; said bracing means having shock-absorbing means compressibleunder inward thrust of the cable at the loop sides to yieldingly resistnarrowing of the loop under load tension and stop means for positivelyarresting such narrowing of the loop beyond a predetermined limit toprevent unduly sharp bending of the cable at said curved extremity; saidbracing means being further provided at each end with a clamp comprisingparts separable to engage the cable between them, and means forconnecting said parts and causing them to grip such cable firmly.

3. Load-transfer cable equipment as set forth in claim 2, wherein suchshock-absorbing means comprises members telescoped one within the other,a compression spring interposed between them to yieldingly opposerelative movement thereof to contract or shorten the brace, said stopmeans limiting such contracting movement, and stop means limitingrelative movement of said members to lengthen or expand the brace.

4. Load-transfer cable equipment comprising the coml"7 Y bination, witha'resilient steel cable Yhaving la terminal portion self-spliced to formacargoloop having a normally'rounded lower extremity, together withmeans for 7 attaching a load to said lower extremity, saidmeansincluding a member having'a portionof Vsmall surface area inengagement with said lower extremity of the loop such thatsudden pick-upof a heavy load tends to collapse the p looppandthereby to bend its saidextremity out of the latters normally rounded form and into relativelyangu- Vlar form, of strut orV brace means extending Ytransversely acrosssaidloop and secured to said cable at the opposite.

sides or branches of Ysaid loop to prevent Ynarrowing of Ythe loopbeyond a predetermined limit, said'brace means comprising telescopicallycooperating members relatively Vmovable with respect to each othertransversely of said loop without affecting the securement of the bracemeans to Vsaid cable, wherebyrtorpermit variation ineffective length of`said brace meansy and hence of the loop widthV under varying loadconditions, said brace means further including' stop means limiting suchrelative' movement ofrsa'id members.

5.V Load-transfer cable, equipment comprising the comsecurelyA clampedbetween them; saidjbrace. comprising t members telescopedone within theother, acompression spring interposed :between them to yieldingly opposevrela- 'e tivemovement thereof `to contract or shorten thebrace, stopmeans limiting such contracting movement,` and stopmeans'limiting'relati-ve movement of saidfinembersV to lengthenor'expand the brace.V f Y i 9. A spreader device as set forth Vinfclaim8, wherein the Y telescoped members'are pin-and-slot connected, Y A l0.YA spreader device as set forth in claimV 9, which further includesshoulder `means provided on one ofsaid Y telescoped members forengagement with the other-0fY said members and in order to stop`brace-shortening relative movementof said members. Y

Y1l. A Yspreader Adevice for bracing Yand stabilizing a loadorcargo-loop of a load-transfer cable, whichcomprises alongitudinally'compressible braceYV adapted to .extend across the loadorcargo-loop 'of'a' load-transfer cable between the sides thereof, and aVreleasable cable-` clamp at each end of said brace .operative to'griplthe cable at the opposite sides of said loop irrespective of theextent to which .said brace may .be compressed, and wherein said bracehas Aa laterallyprojecting shoulder adjacent each. end thereof, .whileeach cable-clamp comprises .an externally threaded plug provided with atransverse ret cess wide enough to receive .the cable and deeper thanthe narrowing of the loop beyond a predetermined limit, saidY bracemeans comprising ycooperating membersV relatively movable withV respecttoV each other transverselyofsaid loop without aecting thesecurementofthe brace Ameans to said cable, whereby toV permitvariation in eectivelength of said -brace means and hence of Vthe-loop width under varyingload conditions, said brace meanspf-urher including stop means limitingsuch relative movement of Vsaid membersgsaid equipment being furthercharacterized by Vthe fact that the brace means-is secured to the cableVat each side of the loop by Yclamping meanslcomprisinga threadedyoke-piece which engagestthe cableY externally of the loop in alinementwith the adjacent brace member,"and a coupling nut rotatable upon suchVbrace mem-Y ber, retained thereon by suitable abutment means, eng'a'g-`in cooperation therewith to clampfthe cable between said y,yoke-pieceand said ybrace member',Y

f 4, whereinV the load-attaching includes' a shackle e ing the threadedportion ofsaid yoke-piece and `operable Vandthe en d ofthe brace.

cable diameter, together with a-coupling sleeve which is rotatable onsaid brace, which is provided internally with a shoulder adapted, uponoutward movement ofthe sleeveY along said brace,=to engage theadjacentbraceV shoulder for arrest yof such movement, and whichy isinternally threaded/forconnecting engagement with the threaded"r4portiontof said plug; whereby -upon the thr'eaded sleeve f being soengaged with receivedtin'said'transverse recessand upon said sleeve:being turned to Vtighten the coupling connection thus.- made, the cableis firmly clampedbetweenesaid plug l2. Arspreader device as set forth-inclaim l-l`rwherein ysaid'brace comprises al member having a tubularportion closed -atone end only, a plunger member longitudinally yslidable in such tubular portion and extending outwardly Ybeyond theopen end thereof,and a compression spring..

in said tubular portion interposedV between the closed end thereof andsaid plunger member.

l3. A spire der device' as set forth inclaim'ilrZgwhere-jlin ,the endYfaces of said brace and the bottom oftheftrans-V member engaging thelower extremity of said loop, and e wherei'npcompressible means isinterposed between the relativelyY movable members of said brace. vmeansand V1s arranged yieldinglyto resist shortening of` the effective length`of said braceV means before said stop means for limiting such relativemovement of said membersV cornesY l into action. Y

7. .A spreader device for bracing and stabilizing aY load orcargo loopof a load-transfer-cable, Vwliich'comn Y prises a longitudinallycompressible brace Yadapted to extend across the load or cargo loop of aload-transfer V cable between the sides thereof, with its endsconcavelyrounded for terminal engagement with the cable internally -o'fY theloop, a pair of members each recessed yto tit over the cable externallyof the loop in alinementrwith said brace, andr coupling means operableto so connect each recessed l mem-ber with the adjacent braceend thatthe 'cable jis securely clamped between them.

8.V A spreader device for braclng and stabilizing a load.V

' or cargo loop. of a load-transferfcable, which comprises alongitudinally compressible brace'adapted to extend across VYthe "loadorcargo loop of aloadtransfer 'cable between the sides thereof, with itsends'concavely yrounded for terminal engagement with the cableinternally of the loop,-a,pair of members yeach'recessed topt over thecable externally of the loop VVin alinement with said brace, andcoupling means operable to so connect, each reeessed member withtheadjacentV brace end that the cable is.

verse recess of each said plug areconcavely curvedfor effective`clamping engagement ofthe cable between them.Y 14.` A-spreader deviceas set forth'` in claim 13, wherein said plunger member has an externalshoulderadapted and arranged to abut ,the open end of said tubularportion. ofthe other member` after the brace has been-compressed to.V apredetermined fextent, whereby to. prevent further shortening thereof. iL Y' .Y l5. A spreader device as 'set forth in claim 14,/ where-V insaid spring is pre-compressedin the predeterminedfull length conditionof said brace, said 1oracemembers being p'in-and-slot'connected Vtoprevent lthe pre-compressed spring Vfrom expanding the brace beyondsaidpredetermined .fu1l'length, while permitting compression -of thebrace from its full lengthr'to predetermined Y Great Britain alan, 20,14927 the threaded plug after the'cable length. t e

References Cited in the file of this patent e ',.uNrrnD VSTATES'PATENTSV Y Y -V 194,448 Y tenue l i Aug. 21, 1877 t 1,229,705 Bolus g-June l2, 19.417 1,444,754 Y Pruden 1 en Feb.6', 1 923' .1,655,744SwanbyY p Jan. 10,1928V 2,643,109V f wood Y Y Y V June 23,1953

. FOREIGN .PATENTS 1 Y v'675,502 Germany en May'f10,f19}39 r *7264,263

